Mechanical Heart
by VerinVerdandi
Summary: Futuristic AU: My heart may not beat like yours, but that doesn't mean I can't still love just as much as you do.
1. Chapter 1

Sighing to herself, Elsa waited on the sidewalk for her taxi to arrive. Her night was a near total disaster. The sleeze had tried copping a feel while they were in the middle of the show and she'd responded by stepping on his foot hard enough to let loose a loud yell. Which then led to him being dragged out by the security bots in the theater. Elsa couldn't enjoy the show anymore after that so she made a quick call and here she was. Standing outside on a cool autumn night listening to the sounds of the city just waking up for the night.

"Come on dude just leave it, totally not worth hauling that pile of junk anywhere. Not even for the spare parts."

"Yeah okay man, I'll leave the damn thing alone."

Elsa turned her head and watched as two scruffy looking teens ambled out of the closest alley, knocking shoulders and laughing at their words. Curiosity crept into her mind and she slowly walked over the entrance of the darkened alley. She waited a few more moments until the youths were far enough away before cautiously entering.

Letting her eyes adjust to the darkness Elsa was just barely able to make out an outline of a body propped against the brick wall. Carefully she crouched down in front of them, trying to get a better look. A flash of headlights slid by the entrance, illuminating the pair for a moment and Elsa was able to make out torn and tattered clothes caked in dirt and grime. Reaching her hand out towards their face Elsa felt cool skin under her fingertips. With a sense of urgency she cupped cold cheeks and lifted gently, wanting to get a better look.

A violent shudder ripped through the body causing Elsa to lean backwards quickly. Sparks arced out across the skin Elsa had just touched, lighting up matted red hair and unfocused teal eyes.

"In-In-In-ating," broken words in a harsh mechanical tone had Elsa reeling in shock. "S-S-S-sss-art up up up." Another shudder had its head jerking to the side. "Two two fi-ive eight-t thr-thr-three alpla aren."

Elsa's eyes widened as she realized this was one of the first AI companions to have been released almost 18 years ago. How this one had survived so long was a mystery to her as most AA models had been destroyed. She reached back towards the AI, gently taking a hold of a limp hand.

"Hey, can you look at me?" As if struck by lightning, teal eyes that glowed ever so slightly now in the darkness, focused immediately onto Elsa's own blue ones. The intensity of the stare had Elsa's heart stuttering in her chest and she squeezed the cold hand. "Are you able to move at all?"

Fingers twitched and legs jerked awkwardly, a piercing whine accompanied the movements. Elsa winced at the sounds and she moved closer to wrap her arm around the slim waist, tugging an arm over her covered shoulders.

"Alright, up you go," pulling upwards Elsa was surprised to find that the AI was light, which was likely a good thing. The whining had turned into a groan as Elsa took most of the weight and slowly she half dragged the shorter AI out of the alley and into the street lights. A loud honk startled the blonde slightly, causing the redhead to slump in her arms.

The yellow taxi flickered it's top light and Elsa realized this was the one she called for earlier. Adjusting her grip Elsa walked them over and opened the side door. Carefully she slid the AI onto the seat, trying to ignore the groans and clicks as she settled the limbs into a sitting position. Climbing in, Elsa gave the driver her address and sat back against the leather seats. The redhead gave another shudder and leaned her head on Elsa's shoulder.

"An-n-na," the quiet rush of static reached Elsa's ears and she smiled slightly.

"Nice to meet you Anna, let's get you fixed up hmm?" she grasped the cool hand in her own, squeezing gently. Perhaps her night wasn't a total waste after all.

"First things first though, you need a bath."

* * *

Paying the driver, Elsa carefully lifted Anna out from the back seat wincing still at the grinding and high pitched whines as the AI attempted to help move. Thankfully it was only a short walk up the driveway to her single story home and easier still to slide her fingers over the touchpad to unlock the side door into her garage.

"Lights," Elsa softly commanded as she shuffled them through the door, careful not to knock Anna against the edges. The inside of the garage lit up slowly, flickering on gently as to not blind it's only occupants. Various books and tools lined the white walls of the two car garage, papers strewn haphazardly across a long desk against the back wall.

Walking to the center of the room Elsa gently placed Anna upon the low steel table, making sure the AI stayed sitting up and wasn't in danger of falling over. She reached up to brush matted red hair out of Anna's face, sighing as she finally got a good look at the state of the AI.

Dirt and grime was caked upon lightly tanned skin and red hair tangled with bits of garbage and plant life. She could see that it was partially braided at one point but didn't look like it had been taken care of in quite some time. The 'clothes' that Anna was wearing were little more then rags, she couldn't tell what color the t-shirt was anymore as it was layered with oil and filth. The baggy jeans much in the same state although ripped and shredded. Threadbare socks was the only protection the AI's feet had.

Scrunching her nose Elsa was reminded of the horrible smell. She would have to clean Anna off as best she could with her limited mobility, perhaps wipe off what she could before working on Anna's systems. Crouching down slightly she peered into unfocused teal eyes, heart clenching painfully in her chest.

"Anna, I'll be right back. I'm going to grab some towels to clean you up some before I start fixing you." Eyes flickered in her direction and she almost didn't see the small nod. Elsa gave her a small smile and stood back up.

Turning around she made her way towards the door leading into the house. Soft lights flickered on as Elsa walked down the hallway towards her bedroom, grabbing towels from the bathroom as she passed. In her room Elsa undid the latch to the floor length black dress, letting it fall to the floor in a pile. Sliding her feet out of the simple black high heels Elsa sighed in relief, she was never overly fond of heels in the first place. Rummaging in her closet she pulled out a pair of blue sweatpants and a black tank top, wanting to be as comfortable as possible since she figured she would be working on Anna for quite a while.

Digging deeper into the closet she found a large grey button up shirt, the length reached her knees so she knew it would fit easily over Anna. It would also be easier to cover her with. Quickly changing, Elsa pulled out a few pins from her hair to let the blonde hair fall into it's normal braid.

"What are you doing Elsa…you've brought home a near decrepit old robot," mumbling to herself, the blonde left her room arms full of towels and the shirt. "It could be dangerous, there is a reason the AA's were discontinued," in the kitchen she grabbed a bucket to fill with some hot water. "Something is different though…I just can't put my finger on it."

Sighing heavily Elsa carefully lifted the bucket out of the sink, slowly making her way back to the garage.

Anna was still there, humming and whirring as limbs still tried to move unsuccessfully.

Standing next to the table Elsa placed the towels and water close to the AI, watching as glowing teal eyes tried following her movements. Smiling she picked up a small towel and dunked it into the water. With slow and gentle movements Elsa began cleaning Anna's face, watching as faint freckles began appearing from under the layers of dirt.

Soon she moved from Anna's face to any visible skin; arms, neck, and hands. Murmuring to herself Elsa grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk and began cutting away the clothes, tossing the scraps into the garbage can, intent on burning them later. As more skin was revealed, she couldn't help the faint blush on her cheeks.

Anna was definitely, anatomically, a woman. Even if she was an AI, Elsa wanted to be as respectful as she would be with any other person.

Keeping her eyes averted as best she could, Elsa wiped as much of the grime and dirt as quickly as possible. A full shower and bath would be looked into once Anna could move on her own. A quick glance down and Elsa figured that she did as much as she could. Grasping the shirt she placed Anna's arms through the sleeves and buttoned up the front, fixing the bottom to cover up her lap.

"Okay Anna, lets see about charging you up while I look at your systems. I'm sure that would help you out immensely," a quiet click and Elsa watched as Anna's left arm twitched, a long thin panel opening above her wrist. The blonde was please to see the charging connector was the same as the companion bots of today.

Opening a drawer she pulled out the end of a cable, attaching it to the input slot in Anna's wrist. Switching the power on Elsa jerked back as Anna's body went rigid, head snapping upwards and sitting up perfectly straight on the table. Her eyes began glowing brighter and a quiet hum filled the room.

"Cha-ch-charging," blinking slowly Anna's body relaxed slightly. "A-a-au-uto repair in-in-iniated."

"Whoa, wait, what?" Elsa stood back in front of Anna, watching as the tiny cuts and openings in her skin began to slowly close. "I didn't think AA's could do that…"

"Func-ion err-err-or." Anna's voice wasn't as harsh or mechanical anymore, static remained, but Elsa could just barely hear the soft tone that should be there. "He-hel-p," the shocked blonde stared into desperate eyes and she realized why she brought Anna home with her.

"Pl-plea-ease."

Anna was just as broken as she was, but Elsa knew she could help her.

* * *

**AN:**So really, I should not have started another story. But I had watched Wall-E and this idea kinda niggled into my brain. It's a nice little break from working on Underneath Your Skin, because really, that next update is going to be a monstrosity.

And there is some fantastic art for this from **Husk** at **Crownthedogs** on Tumblr. They are totally amazing and did some sketch commissions for this one and for UyS and I'm STILL squealing over how awesome they are.


	2. Chapter 2

It was always cold now.

The chill was seeping into every part of Anna, slowing down her processes, freezing her joints, and destroying sensors. Everything was sluggish and unresponsive. She couldn't even acknowledge the kicks to her sides and legs, barely hearing the laughter as whoever they were left.

_At least I don't have to worry about the insults._

"Energy levels dangerously low. Estimated time to total system shutdown: Twenty-four minutes, thirty seconds."

_Oh tell me something I don't know._

"Basic mode engaged. Capabilities at lowest acceptable levels."

It was the only voice Anna could ever hear clearly anymore. The one telling her which of her systems had to be systematically turned off to continue her existence.

_What I wouldn't give to feel something before…_

A warmth fluttered over her cheek, gentle and light. Anna waited for the prods, pokes, or even a hit. But it never came, if anything it became more insistent and spread further along her skin.

_Do something! Come on Anna, move!_

Her body shook violently as it tried to follow her instructions, sputtering out the start up sequence in harsh tones. The vocal synapses were one of the first things to start degrading, but she had to say something, _anything_.

A voice, quiet and muffled, attempted to penetrate the haze. Even if Anna couldn't hear it clearly, the intent was there, the question.

_Just a bit more, come on…_

Through the perpetual darkness she could just barely make out a pale figure, a tiny sliver of blue.

_Such a pretty color…_

Closer now the figure appeared, the warmth spreading across her hand. Another muffled question caressed her senses and Anna fought her bodies unresponsiveness.

"Twenty minutes remaining."

Pressure around her waist lifted Anna up and again she tried to work her limbs, legs buckling under her weight. Whoever this person was, they were taking great care not to jostle her too much. She could only smile to herself and tentatively hope that this would end well.

_Alright Anna, just say your name, Anna…Anna.._

"An-n-na."

A gentle squeeze on her hand had that tentative sliver of hope grow.

"Warning, vocal system shutting down."

_Oh dammit._

* * *

The light was a welcome change, though the edges of her vision were still darkened and blurry. The arms placed her down somewhere, their gentle pressure retreated and Anna felt sad at the loss. That pretty blue appeared in her line of sight and she could just make out hearing her name.

_Nod your head Anna, not too hard to do…but I'm so tired._

Fuzzy outlines filled her vision and Anna realizes she's alone. The silence is almost too much now.

"Warning: Six minutes remaining."

_I am really starting to hate you.  
_

Something wet was being dragged over her skin, wiping away the filth she knew she was covered in. The darkness was creeping further into her vision, but Anna tried desperately to keep the pale figure in focus. Gentle tugs pulled away whatever was left of her clothes and the cloth was back on her skin, but Anna could barely feel the movement.

"Warning: Two minutes remaining."

Anna felt fear spread throughout her mind. The figure was speaking again and she strained against the damn muffling fog around her senses.

"-arging you up whi-"

_Wow they sound pret-wait, what? Charging?_

Panic and hope churned inside of her. With the last bit of focus she twitched her arm, unlocking the panel that contained her input ports. Then she waited, ignoring the voice counting down her remaining power.

_Please…please…_

A quiet click.

_Please…please!_

Power surged through Anna, the shock of the onslaught freezing up her body.

"Cha-ch-charging."

_That is such a head rush. Wow._

The shock drained from her and she slumped ever so slightly. Anna zoned out, letting the system work itself out. Warmth was traveling through every part of her body, making her feel like she was floating on a cloud.

"Func-ion err-err-or."

_Oh no…it's still there! No, no, no, no! I have to do something!_

"He-hel-p. Pl-plea-ease."

_Still too limited! Have to..have to try…there!_

* * *

"Olaf, start up all diagnostic systems and bring up the charts for the AA's schematics," Elsa removed the bucket and towels from the table, needing the space clear.

"Sure thing Elsa!" Olaf's cheery voice came out loudly through the room's speakers. When Elsa had moved into the house she'd set up the computer system to be automated and she'd attempted to make him somewhat of an AI in his own rights. His personality was very happy go lucky and friendly, vastly different from her own.

Small trays filled with tools slid out from under the steel table while holographic screens appeared in air around, casting a soft blue glow over Anna. Tapping the nearest screen, Elsa scanned the list of electronics used in the AA companions. Nothing in the list even suggested an auto repair function, it was something that not even the AI's of today had. Humming to herself she pulled a stool out and sat down on it near Anna.

"Hi!"

"What is it Olaf?" Elsa pulled up another screen, showing the schematics to the body structure.

"Oh sorry! Forgot about the voice, I'm Anna actually."

The blonde paused, her hand hovering against the screen. But she wasn't hooked up into the system, was she?

"Anna?" She glanced up into the AI's face, noting the completely blank expression and half lidded eyes. "I don't think I quite understand…"

"All I'm doing is projecting my voice through speakers. I asked Olaf and he was okay with it, so here I am!" A burst of static pulsed out of the speakers, sounding like a sigh. "It was the only way to get your help quicker since there is a tiny problem that if not taken care of very soon…will result in a total meltdown of my core systems."

"What do you need me to do?" Elsa stood up from the stool, maneuvering herself in front of Anna. She could hear the panic in 'Olaf's' voice.

"Alright, so, you're gonna have to open the compartment in my chest. There's something lodged there and it's disrupting my repair system." Elsa watched as faint lines of light appeared under the button up shirt, quickly she undid the top half and tugged the edges open. The panel was where the sternum connected to the clavicle and was just larger then her hand. "Whatever is in there is enough to back up the power channeling through there. Once whatever it is, is out of the way, I can fix everything."

Picking up a slim flathead screwdriver, Elsa had to gently slide it into the open grooves and pry the panels open. The smell of burnt metal and oil had the blonde scrunching her nose, wishing she had a mask. The compartment fully open showed Elsa a mass of jagged metal and congealed oil.

"How did this happen?" Tugging on a pair of gloves, Elsa fumbled for a small set of pliers and cleaning cloths. Perching back on the stool in front of Anna she set to work quickly and carefully removing the god awful mess.

"I was passing through an old junkyard and I think I disturbed a homeless man in his sleep. He came out of nowhere swinging this bat, but it looked like he had stuck things to the end of it," Elsa dabbed at some of the oil before pulling out a small slim piece of metal. She dropped it into a tray with a quiet clink. "Anyways, he caught me off guard and got the end lodged into my chest and twisted it. I got away as fast as I could and hid in the sewer system."

More metal pulled and oil wiped, the mess shrinking with every pass. Elsa eyed the largest piece, noticing that it was deeper into Anna then the others.

"Why didn't you fight back?" She vaguely recalled that the AA series had become violent and aggressive, towards anything. This had her pausing slightly, the pliers just grazing the last piece.

"Because it would've been wrong." The worry that was gnawing at Elsa's gut, vanished. "He was only protecting his home and that's his right. Just because he hurt me, does not mean I should've hurt him back," Elsa had a small smile on her lips, glad that her worry was unnecessary. Grasping the metal tightly she began tugging it out.

"Last piece Anna, this should do it."

"I never did get your name," the piece was almost free, one last tug was all it would take. Elsa peered up into Anna's face, wondering what it would look like with her 'awake'.

"How about I tell you when you're up and about, hmm?"

"I guess that would be fine. It's gonna be amazing to be able to use all my senses again. I've been nearly deaf, blind, and mute for far too long."

Elsa fixed her grip on the pliers and with a firm tug, the jagged metal was free. Almost immediately the panel slid closed, sealing back up into unblemished freckled skin. A gentle hum filled the quiet of the garage and she watched as Anna's body slumped further forward.

"Oh she's very nice Elsa! I like her," pushing her stool back a bit Elsa couldn't help but silently agree with Olaf. "She reminds me of summer."

—-

A series of quiet beeps woke Elsa up from her awkward position in her desk chair. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked blearily at the clock on the wall. It had only been an hour. Rolling her shoulder to work out the kink, Elsa looked over towards the source of the beeping.

Anna was still slumped over on the table, but as she watched Elsa noticed the twitching in her limbs. Kicking the chair away from the desk, she nearly fell out of it in her rush. Getting her balance back Elsa quickly walked over to stand in front of Anna, her hands fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt. It was nerve wracking for sure, watching the limbs twist and fidget. Synthetic muscle flexed and joints rotated. The cable attached to her wrist popped out and the wrist panel closed with a click.

After what felt like forever Elsa watched as Anna's body straightened back up, her head lifting. Teal eyes slowly opened, the faint glow fading away to leave her eyes clear and unfocused. Slow blinks followed by tiny movements in her face and neck had Elsa wondering just how expressive she would be, what would Anna really be like.

Lost in her thoughts Elsa didn't notice that Anna was staring at her, head tilted ever so slightly. She was leaning forward, hands on her knees simply taking in the sight of the tall blonde. Long blonde hair braided loosely rested on her shoulder, the bangs swept up messily on the top of her head. Pale skin, barely there freckles dusting her nose, and lips the right shade of pink. Tall and slim with the right amount of curves, this woman made the loose pajamas she was wearing seem elegant and sophisticated. 

Anna always spoke her mind and now wouldn't be any different.

"You're really beautiful," smiling widely at the startled woman Anna wiggled off the table to stand on her own two feet. Wobbling a bit, she waited for the calibration to kick in and configure her balance. She was surprised when a pair of hands gripped her upper arms and held her steady.

Peering up into blondes face, Anna took note of the blush on her pale cheeks.

_Has no one ever told her that?_

"Hello Anna, I'm Elsa," her hands slid off Anna's arms, letting her stand on her own.

_She even sounds beautiful…_

Anna couldn't help herself, all this excitement was hard to contain. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she squealed and launched herself at Elsa. Wrapping her arms loosely over Elsa's shoulders, Anna hugged her tightly. She could feel Elsa tense for a split second before she relaxed, arms tentatively reaching around her smaller frame to hug her back.

"Thank you for helping me Elsa."

* * *

**AN: **And now I can move onto the adorbs! First though, other things need to take priority. Then I can come back and have Anna be a complete and total cutie patootie goofball.


	3. Chapter 3

"So what are you?"

Anna paused her hands, fingers threaded in red and white strands. It was an honest question, blunt and straight to the point. One that Anna had many, many years to come to terms with, but to explain to another person when she's never had to? She watched Elsa with wide eyes, taking in the sight of the blonde woman sitting across the table from her a mug of hot chocolate being idly spun in her hands. Ice blue eyes stared at her curiously, flicking downwards every so often and a light blush grazing her cheeks.

_Is there something wrong with the sweater? Should I have picked something else to wear after that shower? But it's huge and comfy and blue and it smells like Elsa. Okay, keep the fact you like the smell of jasmine and mint to yourself Anna._

Tilting her head to the side Anna quickly replayed the last twenty minutes, wondering why...

* * *

Stepping out of the shower Anna grabbed for the fluffy blue towel hanging on the rack, drying herself off. Tossing the towel over her hair once she was sufficiently dried off, she looked around the bathroom. Pale blue walls with white accents seemed to be the theme Elsa was going for, giving it a very soothing feel. She smiled at the small snowflakes that appeared throughout the room, on the floor mats, the corners of the mirror, even the decorative bars of soap were snowflakes.

Glancing around she noticed that other than the dirty clothes she wore in the garage, there was nothing else for her to wear. Giving her hair a final once over fluff with the towel she tossed it into the pile of dirty laundry and stepped out into the hallway, looking to the left and the right.

"Hey Elsa?"

"What is it Ann-" the redhead tilted her head curiously as Elsa leaned around the corner from the kitchen and stared at her for a moment. She turned her head away from Anna averting her gaze, a heavy blush staining her cheeks. "Where's your clothes?"

"They were dirty."

"What about the towel?"

"It was wet."

Blue eyes glanced back at her briefly before looking away again and disappearing back into the kitchen.

"Door on your left is the guest room, there should some clothes in the closet you can choose from."

Anna merely blinked at the flustered blonde.

* * *

_Ooh, that's right...some humans have issues with nudity. Note to self, keep the towel on. Now back to her question._

Anna leaned forward smiling, elbows on the table and her face resting in her hands.

"I'm Anna," she stated simply, though she knew Elsa wouldn't let it slide that easily.

The blonde huffed quietly and took a sip of the hot chocolate.

"Are you even a companion AI? From what I've seen you are far too advanced to just simply be one," Elsa tapped a few keys on the laptop next to her and a projection of a normal AI's internal schematic appeared in the middle of the table between them. "My equipment couldn't even get past your external layer so I'm basing this off of what I've seen so far. You also don't act like any AI I've seen, so tell me the truth."

"It's not that I don't want to, but there's a lot of complications with knowing," fidgeting in her seat Anna clasped her hands together tightly in her lap, the task of braiding her unruly hair discarded for the moment. "You've already taken me in and helped when you could've just as easily left me in that alley."

Peering up through her bangs she watched Elsa through the projection. Would she freak out? The blonde didn't seem the type to do so, but who knew what was hidden underneath that beautiful face. She did seem very knowledgeable, what with that lab and the snippets of information that Olaf gave her. But then she would understand why Anna...

_Okay, stop with the rambling, this is so not helping. Just ask the stunning blonde if she really wants to know then show her. Simple. Now stop being distracted by that loose strand of hair she's tucking behind her ear._

"If you really want to know, I'll tell you. I just don't want to cause you any problems with what I am."

A spark of curiosity lit up those ice blue eyes and Elsa simply nodded.

"It's not an easy thing to answer," reaching across the table Anna hooked her fingers onto the laptop, sliding it closer. "Better if I just show you honestly," with a quiet pop the panel above her wrist opened and she pulled out a thin cable, attaching it to an open port in the side of the laptop.

Anna's eyes slid closed as a massive rush of information flooded through the cable, nearly overloading her sensors. It had been far too long since she had been connected to any source of information and it was far too soon for her newly repaired receptors

"_Initializing cascading blockades. Input minimized to 15%"_

"Anna?"

_Gosh, that's still such a pretty sound._

"Anna?!"

Pressure appeared on her left shoulder and hand, gripping tightly and shaking her. The tension from the near overload faded away and Anna slowly opened her eyes to find Elsa leaning over her side, staring at her with worry etched in her pale face.

"Sorry about that," blinking slowly Anna shook her head, tucking away the packets of info streaming slowly through the cable now.

"You scared me again with going rigid like that," Elsa pulled up another chair and sat down beside Anna, still gently holding on to her hand. "And then these green lines appeared in the skin around your eyes..."

"It's alright," Anna just smiled at the worried blonde, placing her other hand over top Elsa's. "It was just a bit too much, but it's fixed mostly. I still have things to repair before I'm completely back to my old self. Now! Where was I?"

The projection flickered briefly before a snapshot of a news article appeared. An older man in his late forties with shaggy auburn hair and hazel eyes, dressed in a grey suit and lab coat stood in front of a gleaming white building.

"That's Jon Arenston, he was behind the program to create the companion AI's," Elsa commented quietly, wondering what he had to with this.

The image faded and another took its place causing Elsa to gasp loudly.

Jon Arenston was standing next to Anna.

The AI could only watch in silence as Elsa stared at the picture and the attached headline.

ARENSTON DAUGHTER DIAGNOSED WITH INCURABLE DISEASE

"I don't understand..." Elsa ripped her eyes away from the image to stare down at Anna. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Anna Arenston was diagnosed with a rare disease that ate away at her body," a sad smile lifted Anna's lips. "It starts at the feet and works its way up, devouring muscle, bone, organs, until you simply...die."

She kept her gaze on the image of father and daughter, smiling happily at each other, not a care in the world.

"The doctors gave her five, maybe six months to live. It would be a month after the news was given that the effects started and Anna was confined to a wheelchair as the feet finally gave out," she squeezed the hand between hers gently. "But she was always smiling, always laughing. Nothing that happened could ever bring her down."

Pictures flickered to life, each showing the rapid progression of the disease. But each shot showed a smiling redhead, regardless of how skinny and sick she looked.

"Papa took the news hard," a slight jerk was all Anna needed to feel to know that Elsa reacted to her particular phrase. "So he worked for four months on a project, when he wasn't at his daughter's side. He decided that that she would live on, in one way or another. Using his knowledge of the companion bots he was helping to make, he expanded on the idea."

Anna tilted her head back slightly, watching Elsa out of the corner of her eye. The blonde was blatantly staring at her eyes filled with a maelstrom of emotions but her face remained neutral.

_Here we go then..._

"Instead of an AI that could learn, why not one that would learn and feel? Even then, it wasn't enough. Papa thought, could I possibly place memories and experiences in as well?" Anna swallowed the lump in her throat. "He built a machine that would make a copy of the human brain, every single memory and what essentially makes a person an individual. All stored away in a neat little file."

"Did she agree to all this?" Elsa quietly asked, nothing but a murmur.

"Yes she did. She wanted her father happy, anything to get him to smile again." Anna peered back at the image of the sick girl lying weak and helpless in the hospital bed. She was laughing and smiling at something off camera. "By the time everything was all set and ready to go there wasn't much time left at all. The disease had progressed much quicker than anticipated and was already destroying her heart."

"That must have been very difficult for her, I can't imagine that kind of pain."

Anna could very easily imagine it. A twinge in her chest and gut had her clenching her fist tightly again.

_What did they call it, phantom pain?_

_"__Warning: Voice synapses require further repair."_

She ignored it as she watched Elsa take a sip from her mug, wondering what she was thinking of.

"They were only able to make a single attempt. The next day she passed away, peacefully. A week later I woke up," Anna's voice crackled towards the end sounding more like a dying stereo.

"_Warning: Hibernation mode must be initialized to complete repairs._"

She huffed in annoyance and placed her hands flat on the table, earning a curious look from Elsa.

"Gimme a moment," closing her eyes Anna searched for a certain sliver of data. Grasping onto it, she let her body fully enter its much needed hibernation.

* * *

Elsa watched with a mix of worry and curiosity as Anna's body went completely still. It was still unsettling to see her in such a way despite knowing the AI for such a short time. That near constant smile that had Elsa's stomach jumping nervously when directed at her. Reaching up she tucked a loose strand of hair behind Anna's ear, marveling at the feel of it under her fingertips. Everything about Anna felt too real.

With a quiet sigh she leaned back into her chair, idly biting at her thumb.

"Okay, there we go," a flicker above the table caught her attention and Elsa found herself staring at a miniature hologram of Anna. Still wearing the oversized sweater, tiny shorts, and that wide smile.

"Sorry about that, my systems are still fixing themselves and I overstretched myself," the two foot tall hologram sat down cross-legged on the table. "Did you have any questions? I realized that I've just spouted out all this info at you."

"I just want to make sure I've got this right. He made you to what…become his daughter?" Elsa watched the smile on Anna's face dim slightly.

"Not to become his daughter, but to preserve her in some way. She was only sixteen at the time," images appeared above the table. Various unrecognizable schematics danced in front of Elsa and she leaned against the table to get a closer look.

Apart from some vague resemblance, most of the setup was completely unique.

"Papa made my body to be the most advanced he could make it. I am made to be self-repairing, to keep all my systems up and running. From the electro-vascular system, to the synthetic musculature and everything in between." Anna flipped through the images and settled on a side shot of the interior of her head. "I wouldn't just learn though, I would feel and think and essentially be the closest an AI could be to a human."

"So how did the copy of her mind fit into all this," Elsa turned her head to look at the still body next to her. "You look to be an exact copy of her, beyond that cute streak of white in your hair," she kept her gaze away from the hologram, realizing what she just said.

She didn't see Anna practically bouncing back and forth, a large smile on her face.

"Well, while I have everything that was her in my head, I'm not her. I've learned, adapted, and have my own personality. But I can pull from her memories and experiences to help with my own. For example! I can eat food, mostly for pleasure, but while the technical side of me can breakdown the composition of the item," Elsa turned back to the table to find Anna had scooted in front of her mug. "I know the taste of chocolate and I know it's my favorite."

The blonde laughed and lifted the mug to her lips. She grinned at the pout Anna was giving her.

"Then next time I'll have to make up a cup for you hmm?"

* * *

Elsa had bid her a good night shortly after and slipped off to her room, leaving Anna to go over the checklist of her systems in need of immediate attention. Most was just fixing corroded wiring, filling and smoothing out micro fractures, or readjusting the various sensors and modules that have been unused in many years.

While the repair systems took over Anna let her mind wander through her memories from long ago.

_"__Papa?"_

_"__Yes Anna, what is it?"_

_"__I don't understand this concept of…love"_

_"__Love? Love is when someone has become an important part of your life that you can't imagine it without them. It's when simply the thought of them fills you with so much happiness and being away from them you ache and miss them. Loving someone means that you would do anything for them, whether they love you or not. That their happiness is more important than your own."_

_"__And that's what it is?"_

_"__My dear Anna, love is the most unscientific, most illogical thing there is in this world. There is never a set definition as to what it is. It will happen to you when you least expect it."_

* * *

**AN: Okay, that took quite a bit, but now some of the background is out of the way I can move on with the plot lol**


End file.
